A Missing Peace
by Je-Suis-Un-Ananas
Summary: What happens when Hermione and Draco are thrown in a room and forced to work through their problems? Just a cute little story. Please read :  Dramione!
1. And so it begins

Draco Malfoy was not in a good mood. All he had needed today was a quiet spot to sit down and process his thoughts. Everywhere he went in hopes of peace, though, he had found anything but. He was trying to go to the most obscure locations he could think of: surely, at least, no one else had found the nook behind the stairwell on the third floor. Convincing himself that he would get his peaceful thinking time, he made his way towards the spot. Rounding the corner leading to the stairwell, though, he heard clunky footsteps that echoed through the stone corridor. Turning around to see who could possibly be making so much noise, he saw Pansy Parkinson waddling up to him with a giant smile on her smashed-in pug-like face. _Oh, Merlin, please no, let her not have recognized me… _But he had no such luck, for Pansy ended up right beside him.

"Drakey-Poo, Where are you going?" her shrill voice pierced his ears. "Don't you have classes? Are you SKIPPING them? Oh, you rebel! You know… I have a thing for rebels…" she continued with what she must have thought was attractive, ridiculous pouty expression. At the last part, Draco turned to the annoying twit with an expression of horror. One hookup in a broom closet during sixth year and all of a sudden Pansy seemed to think that they were married or something.

"Pansy, go away" he pleaded, and sped up in the opposite direction.

"But Drakey! Why…" He cut her off with a stern look, and decided he would try a diplomatic approach.

"Pansy, if you don't leave me alone, I swear to Merlin I will confingo all of those ridiculous clothes that you insist on wearing. While you're wearing them." Okay. So maybe not diplomatic, but effective, as Pansy had shut up with a stunned look on her face. Obviously, she didn't want her precious wardrobe set aflame. Or herself, for that matter. Quickly retreating and making strange noises that reminded Draco of one of those muggle whatcya macallems… Oh yes, lawn movers, when they won't start. Oh wait. That wasn't right…. Whatever, though, he thought to himself. As soon as Draco was blessedly rid of the vile creature that is Pansy Parkinson, he surveyed his surroundings.

_Shit. Where am I?_ He thought. He had been trying so hard to figure out how to evade Pansy that he had turned himself around. The corridor he was now standing in had a lower ceiling than the rest, with old rusted suits of armor lining it alternating with dusty tapestries in various states of disrepair. Figuring that he couldn't get any more lost, he figured why not and made his way down the hall. The further down he went though, the darker it got and the more curious he became. Eventually, the light disappeared completely and he had to cast a lumos just to see. _Where in the hell does this go to? _He was thinking, until he ran smack into a wall. Then all he thought was _Ow. _

The hall seemed to go on forever, but in fact it veered sharply to the right and ended abruptly. _This doesn't make any sense_! He thought to himself. Looking at the wall directly in front of him, he saw a portrait. In the picture there was a man reading a book in front of a fireplace. "What?" Malfoy accidentally said out loud. The man in the portrait jumped up in surprise from his chair.

"Two in one day? That's a first. What do you need, young man?" He asked in a gravelly voice. In response to Draco's silence, he continued. "Oh, never mind. I'm sure you're just looking for somewhere to sit in peace. They all are. Well, if you can't find peace in here there is no peace for you in this world, boy." The man continued with a chuckle and a nod. "Here you are, then." And with that, the portrait swung open, revealing a room.

"Um… T-Thanks?" Draco responded, unsure and confused. Figuring that it was probably nothing dangerous, Draco walked through the portrait hole and found himself in a cozy, medium sized, warm room. Along the walls there was bookshelves, and the floor was covered by a large ornately designed rug. Filling the room were several gloriously comfortable looking armchairs and even a loveseat which was facing the wall opposite Draco. The loveseat was also facing a small but merry fire that cackled quietly.

_Finally, I can just lay and think about this mess that has become my life…_ his thoughts were cut off midstream. He had approached the loveseat (the most comfortable looking seat of any of the chairs) only to see a figure already doing what he had wanted to. Looking closely, he realized that it was a sleeping girl… and none other than Hermione Granger. _What! You've got to be kidding me. Find peace, my ass. _Draco stood there and sneered at Granger, hoping to awaken her with his hatred… although, his expression softened when he saw her smile in her sleep. She really wasn't as hideous as he had always made her out to be. Especailly lately, for she had been taking extra care to manage her frizzy hair and even started to wear attractive clothes. _Actually, she's really pretty. Maybe even beautiful… If only that know it all personality wasn't so strong_, he mused.

Hermione's eyes opened, and she blinked to adjust to being awake. That's weird. Usually nothing woke her up from naps aside from a fire or…. "Eep!" She yelped. There was some person standing in front of her, his face obscured by shadow. Bolting up, she took a closer look. It was none other than Draco Malfoy. _What?_ She thought to herself. _This is supposed to be a place of peace, and that weasel is certainly anything but!_ "What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Um… uh, I…" Draco was speechless. He genuinely didn't know why he was there. Then he remembered what he had just been thinking, and felt an embarrassed flush crawl against his pale face. Then he got defensive. "None of your business, Granger." He sneered. Better to attack back then to show vulnerability.

"Hmph. Well, no matter, I was leaving anyways. How's a girl supposed to find peace with an inbred albino like you around?" she voiced with contempt and promptly turned on her heel towards the portrait hole.

"Albino? Inbred? Excuse me!" Draco was gasping, trying to process what he would later grudgingly admit was a brilliant insult. He stormed after her, outraged. "Why do you think that your better than every one else, anyways? Everyone knows that your actually just a useless mudbl-" He cut himself off. He had promised himself that his second chance at a seventh year would be different. He'd turn the name Malfoy back into a respected one and this wasn't the way to do it. "Actually, Gran- Hermione." Looking into her eyes and causing her to pause momentarily, something in him softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that, or interrupt your nap. I'll leave, okay? "

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Did he just say that? It has to be a trick or something, she thought. Looking into his steel gray eyes, though, she saw nothing but sincere honesty. "Oh. Well… thanks, I guess. But I have a class soon, so I ought to be leaving…" she approached the portrait hole. But something was wrong. There was no doorknob… weird. There always was. "Malf- Draco, why isn't there a doorknob on this anymore?" she asked.

"If I knew, I'd tell you. Why?" bewildered, he went back to where she was standing and looked at the same portrait hole. "Maybe you have to push it open?" He asked, and started pushing to no avail. "Hey, some help maybe?" He raised his eyebrows at Hermione who was watching him work at the door.

"Oh, sure…" But neither of them could open the door with any sort of man power. "Well, are we not wizards? Hermione asked after about five minutes of pushing. She tried every spell she knew that had to do with doors, and none of them worked. Starting to panic, Draco joined in with spells that could have blasted an elephant through a cinderblock wall, but the door wouldn't give.

"Crap!" Hermione exclaimed. Draco looked over with a look on his face, questioning her with a simple raise of the eyebrows. "This is the room of tranquility. It has incantations set in which the door will only open to those in need of peace, and you can't leave until you have reached an inner peace of sorts with the situation that brought you here." Scowling, she turned to Draco.

"How do you even know that, Granger?" Draco asked, incredulous. It seemed strange that she knew that. Then again, this was the bookworm he was talking to.

"It was in Hogwarts, A History: The Extended Edition."

"First of all, there was an extended edition? I barely got through the regular version without snoring! Second, what does that mean for… us?" He finished with lack of a better word.

Hermione turned to look at him. "It means that we're stuck here until we reach a point where we're considered at peace."

_Oh, shit. _Thought Draco. _This ought to be good._


	2. Do I smell bacon?

**Author's Note: So... I'm thinking this isn't half bad for a first fanfic... but be sure to let me know other wise :) Tell me if you have any ideas, it could really help with this whole writers block thing... So. Yeah. Enjoy, Friends! :)**

**P.S... This is a disclaimer. I don't own any of theese characters, the lovely J. does. Mind you, if she's magically reading this and feels the need to give up one of her characters, let it be known that I wouldn't mind owning Draco. Not one little bit :)**

_Pheeeeeewwww._

Hermione exhaled loudly, wanting to break the silence but not wanting to seem particularly excited to do so.

_What in the bloody hell is that supposed to mean? Oh, wait…_

"Knocked you breathless, have I, Granger?" I said with my signature sneer. In these situations, I find that it's best to test the waters with your big toe, rather than leaping in and shouting "CANNON BALL!" I mean, I wasn't going to just come out and ask her about her 'feelings'. While we're going to have to figure this out eventually (Feelings included), I figured we'd start on common ground… insulting each other.

Clearly disgusted, Hermione looked across at him, (for the awkward couple had migrated to the love seat, where they each sat perched on opposite arms of the sofa, looking at each other in the stony silence.) her retort already on the tip of her tongue.

"Certainly not, Malfoy. There's enough hot air hovering around your head to inflate a blimp, so my lungs need not worry about a short supply."

"What in the ruddy hell is a blimp, Granger?" Draco inquired. He was starting to think he had wasted all of the niceties he had contemplated earlier.

"Humph! Don't even know what a blimp is! And you think you're the hottest thing since Tabasco Sauce…" She trailed off, feeling superior. I mean, who doesn't know what a blimp is? _Except, maybe people who didn't grow up in the muggle world, stupid._ Ugh. Even Hermione's inner voice decided to join in on this round of 'insult the ugly book worm'. What a joyous occasion. Allwell… hopefully ferret-boy wouldn't notice her flub.

"Excuse me, Buck-Tooth, but what kind of sauce? I don't even understand every other word out of your mouth! And you think you have the upper hand here? I could squash you like a bug, you little know it all…" Yup. Good thoughts, most certainly wasted on Granger.

"I'm not the bug in this situation! You're like a praying mantis, ready to rip someone's head off at their weakest moment! Well congratulations! You can kick a man while he's down, what an accomplishment!" Hopefully, Malfoy wouldn't know under what circumstances a praying mantis rips one of their kind's heads off…

"If I were a praying mantis, I would never even be in a moment of weakness with you! I wouldn't touch you like that with a ten foot pole, if we were the last of our kind on the whole bloody earth, you snaggle toothed, pathetic excuse for a girl!" He snapped. _And lied. _WOAH. Where did that come from? Sure, Granger was pleasing to look at… Wait. WHAT AM I THINKING! BAD THOUGHTS, GO AWAY!... Ahhh, that's better. Now, I better pick up my game. There's no way I'm going to let a muggle born best me in any way. After all, I am a Malfoy. And Malfoys always win.

_Damn!_ She had really been counting on him not knowing that a mantis rips another's head off only after getting… well, busy, if you catch my drift. This made her cheeks blush crimson with indignation: Even though Malfoy was repulsive, it is still embarrassing to be told that you are too ugly for someone. Downright humiliating, in fact. She really had to stay on the ball, if he was going to hit below the belt like that.

"Yeah? Well at least I don't have to resort to petty insults about your appearance in order to get to you—your personality is so ugly that it manages to insult itself without any of my help!" she retorted, feeling her anger grow with every word, spitting out the last few.

"Or is it that you just can't insult my looks? On account of me being the most gorgeous being you've ever encountered? I mean, my face must be such a wondrous sight to behold after looking in a mirror with that mug!"

"You are such a self-absorbed git! All of these years I've been trying to give you the benefit of the doubt and see things from your perspective, but unfortunately, I can't seem to stick my head that far up my ass!" Hermione was seething with anger, it was like her emotion was a palpable substance, running through her veins and spilling out, scorching even her…. Oh! Shit!

Draco alarmingly fell off of the arm he was sitting on, and took shelter behind the sofa. "Holy Crap, Granger! Calm Down!" He ducked his head back in a safe zone, putting the sofa between them. In the recesses of his mind, he had always supposed that Hermione would one day realize that all his teasing was just a façade… but this flaming image of her ingrained in his brain now told him otherwise. No joke, though. Granger had literally been on fire… Now, though, her robes were only smoking, undamaged, and her hair had only little embers in it, tiny reminders of the hateful inferno.

"I think that… that you were just on fire." Draco stated. It's weird how watching her get that angry had immediately changed the atmosphere. Almost like the tangible fire had burned away all of the intangible feelings of loathing that at one time hung so thick it suppressed breathing. And, weirdly enough, Draco actually seemed to regret pushing her that far.

Hermione did not respond, and instead blinked rapidly and slumped back down on the love seat. Apparently, some time in her angry fiasco, she had stood up. Speaking of fiasco… What was that? Did she really get that angry? She most certainly did not feel so angry any more… in fact, the only thing she felt now was tired. _Haha, you're burned out, stupid. Ought to teach you to lose your temper…_

Looking at Draco's eyes, which were just peaking over the arm of the sofa, Hermione regretted her… outburst. His stormy eyes (Previously glinting with cunning and wile, glinting at the thought of new and unused insults ready to be thrown) now cast a hint of uncertainty, as if he thought she was going to combust again.

"Um. Hey… let's pretend it didn't happen?" She proposed silently, with a shrug of her shoulders. Sensing that she was finally worn down and that insulting her would do more, Draco got up and slowly moved to sit next to her. She eyed him as he moved, but made no further moves indicating he should stop. Relieved, he sat (As far away as the little couch would allow, mind you) and looked her in the eye.

"Not even a chance, Hermione. I know what those flames came from. Only an intense passion can bring out wandless magic like that. Perhaps it was love?" He suggested, this time hoping she knew he was kidding around. Based on the small smile and chortle she gave, she knew.

"Ma- Er, Draco. After years of you making fun of me relentlessly, I don't think I could ever make that mistake. However, there is another four letter word you could exchange that with." She raised an eyebrow and looked over at him slyly.

"Oh, sick, Hermione! You can't just lust after someone like that! Yeesh!" He looked back at her and was pleased to hear a real laugh… _You know, those thoughts weren't entirely wasted, I suppose. When she's laughing like this her eyes do sort of sparkle and her face does light up… _

However, his thoughts were interrupted by her gentle and blatantly honest reply. "Hate, Draco. What I feel for you is hate… and you just saw it consume me entirely" she said, with regret. It was not in her nature to let her true feelings show. She had just been caught up so much with the argument, and on top of what sent her to this room in the first place, the hate consumed her. Silently, she reviewed the events that sent her here… they weren't pretty. She could feel the exhaustion that had filled her start to be tinged with insecurity.

Draco watched her face go from open and happy too… a look that he could only explain as heartbroken. Watching the shift, his own heart started to break…_ please, don't let that look have been my fault—_he hoped. Previously, in all his bullying experiences, he had only ever dealt with a mad or weak opponent, giving him cause to be relentless. Seeing the side after the fight, it was something he never intended on. Weakness included groveling, sobbing and begging…. But heart break is not weak. It's something that you pull through to make yourself stronger than before. Draco cast another look at Hermione's face and knew that he was going to pull her through this, make her a stronger person. _Al though, if I make her stronger, she'll cross that fine line between us, and might actually win an argument for once… _He decided it was worth the risk. The best way to open this conversation seemed to be reveal a piece of his heart, first, though.

Looking her square in those warm amber eyes, he said something that, if not perfect, was pretty damn close to it. "Hermione Granger… I'm sorry. For everything. I want you to know that every time I insulted you… it wasn't hate that fueled it. I'm not sure what it was, but I can guarantee it was never hate."


End file.
